Petunia plant named ‘USTUNI6504’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘USTUNI6504’, characterized by its low spreading to cascading plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; numerous single flowers that are deep red purple in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUNI6504’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name USTUNI6504.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new disease-resistant and heat-tolerant Petuniaswith semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventoron Apr. 25, 2001 of two unnamed proprietary selections ofPetunia×hybrida, not patented. The new Petunia was selected as a singleplant from the resulting progeny on Jun. 18, 2002 in Gensingen, Germany,on the basis of its plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingssince Jun. 18, 2002, in Gensingen, Germany has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar USTUNI6504 have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USTUNI6504’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USTUNI6504’ as a new and distinct culitvar:

-   -   1. Low spreading to cascading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Numerous single flowers that are deep red purple in color.    -   4. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants ofthe new Petunia differed from plants of the female parent selection inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more creeping than and not as        upright as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants ofthe new Petunia differed primarily from plants of the male parentselection in time to flower as plants of the new Petunia floweredearlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivarCaschamp, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,426. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Petuniadiffered from plants of the cultivar Caschamp in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Caschamp.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more rain tolerant than plants        of the cultivar Caschamp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical plant of ‘USTUNI6504’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘USTNI6504’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in15-cm containers were used for the aforementioned photographs andfollowing description. Plants were about two months from planting rootedcuttings. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions during the summer in Bonsall, Calif. inan outdoor nursery. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 21° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 10° C. to 18° C.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida culitvar USTUNI6504.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Petunia×hybrida, not            patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed selection of Petunia×hybrida, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 15 days at            20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at            18° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white, close to 155D, in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form/habit.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially            upright, then low spreading and cascading; uniformly mounded            plant form. Freely branching habit with about twelve lateral            branches and numerous secondary and tertiary lateral            branches per plant. Pinching enhances development of lateral            branches. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio            containers and landscape applications.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 62 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 40 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate before            flowering; opposite after flowers develop; simple. Length:            About 4.4 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:            Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Venation pattern:            Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded            leaves, upper surface: 146A. Developing and fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper surface: 146B.            Venation, lower surface: 146C. Petiole length: About 5 mm.            Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiole texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent. Petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces: 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers            face mostly upward or outward; axillary. Freely flowering            habit, about 38 to 40 flower buds and open flowers per            lateral branch.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous during this period. Plants begin            flowering about four to six weeks after planting rooted            cuttings. Flowers persistent.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to seven days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4.5 cm. Depth (height): About            4.2 cm. Tube length: About 3 cm. Throat diameter, distal            end: About 1 cm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Elongated obovate. Color: 79B.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a            single whorl, funnelform. Length from throat: About 1.8 cm.            Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped to obovate.            Apex: Acute with central points. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Petal lobes, smooth, glabrous; tube, pubescent. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Brighter and more saturated than            78A. When opening, lower surface: 77B. Fully opened, upper            surface: Brighter and more red than 71A; venation, 79A.            Fully opened, lower surface: 72B; venation, 79B. Flower            throat (inside); 79B; venation, 79A. Flower tube (outside):            79C; venation, 79B.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals            fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Broadly acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Angle:            About 45° to 90° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Anther shape: Oval. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther            color: 91A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: More gray            than 93C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:            About 2 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: 144A to            144B. Stigma shape: Rounded; anvil-shaped. Stigma color:            147B. Ovary color: 144B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance. Plants of the new Petunia have been    noted to tolerate temperatures from 0° C. to 38° C. and have    excellent tolerance to rain and wind.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘USTUNI6504’, asillustrated and described.